On the cover of this week’s Golf Digest there is a picture of Rickie Fowler, Golf Digest’s Playing Editor. He is wearing orange slacks, matching orange hat and print shirt with yellow, blue and orange stripes. His shoes even match.

Is this the norm for golf attire today? Rickie pulls this off because he wears it confidently. He is also a professional golfer who wants to call attention to the designer, Puma.

Here are some guidelines to use when choosing golf attire regarding color, fabric and fit.

• Color: A dash of color is good in the shirt or hat. Keep your slacks neutral. If you want to match, choose to match two of the items, not all three (unless you are being paid by the clothing designer!).

• Fabric: A popular fabric today is wick. It breathes, reduces sweat and will not stick to your body. This fabric is especially effective in very hot climates.

• Fit: You want to be able to move easily in the clothes you select. Remember that clothes that are too loose or too tight will hamper your golf swing.

Follow these simple rules and on the links, you will look like a seasoned golfer with style.

Change, as we all know, is difficult. It takes time and patience. Keeping a daily log on a particular habit you want to change is a way to ensure that you stay on track.

Start by writing the habit you want to stop on a piece of paper. For example, let’s say that you have a habit of filling dead space when you speak with “ahs”. You would like to remove the “ahs” out of your speech. So, each day, log how many times you say it. The goal the next day is to reduce the number. (Note: A tip to replace the “ahs” is to pause when you know one will come out.)

Keep this log for a month. Check it each week and note your progress. This is a sure way to feel a sense of accomplishment by making a change one step at a time.

Gossip causes more unnecessary damage to both personal and professional relationships than just about anything else. A study done at the University of Michigan indicated the person who did the most damage regarding the gossip was not the one who starts it, but the person who hears it. That’s because the person who hears it can either pass it on or stop it.

So, remember that when someone starts to talk about another, you have the power of preventing that piece of gossip from going any further.

So many times I hear from clients they feel self-promotion is a negative thing. The thinking is that if you are good at what you do, self-promotion is not necessary. However, self-promotion is critical to business success if it is always done inclusively not intrusively.

Doing the few things below will make sure your self-promotion is inclusive and acceptable:

Social Media: Be on Linkedin
Be an author: Write an article, get quoted in a trade publication or write a book
Facebook: Tailor it to your profession or company guidelines
Networking: Be active in trade or civic associations
Twitter: Offer advice that will enhance your visibility
Face to Face: Have a professional introduction ready to use

Self-promotion is a good thing when done inclusively because it will connect you to your audience. They will then do the promoting for you.

The current color for shoes is neutral, which means color shades of beige, taupe, and camel. The first time a neutral color shoe appeared in the movies was in the remake of Sabrina. Sabrina wore a taupe shoe with a black suit.

The neutral shoe can make the leg look longer and slimmer in a heel. When wearing it in a flat shoe, it can make the foot look smaller.

What actors wear in movies tends to set trends. For example, in the Prince of Tides, Barbra Streisand wore a blouse not tucked in but worn out over a skirt under a jacket. That’s when fashion designers began designing blouses to be worn out for women.

That look has become acceptable in most professional settings for women. The blouse worn in the right length can make the body look slimmer.

Look for the designers to test and some cases set trends by trying their fashions out in the movies. If you stay aware, you can be a trendsetter by observing what actors wear in the movies!

The color red is often worn by brides in the East. At the same time, it is the color of mourning in South Africa.

In Russia, the Bolsheviks used a red flag when they overthrew the Tsar, thus red became associated with communism. Many national flags use red. The red ruby is the traditional fortieth wedding anniversary gift.

It is a bright color and will attract attention. Here’s how you can you wear red so it doesn’t shout:

• Break it up: Use it as an accent in a top, jacket or piece of jewelry.
• Blend it: Red shoes or a red purse can be fun when the color blends with the rest of the ensemble.
• In coats: Red in a coat or as a raincoat can be very smart.

Never be afraid of wearing red if you wear it in a smart, elegant manner.

A personal brand is important especially when we all want to stand out from the crowd during these difficult economic times. What is it that makes you special and engages those around you?

The points below will help you determine whether your brand will stand the test of time:

• Proof it works
• Consistency
• Special Sauce(You are different from your competitors.)
• Memorable
• Specific for a target market
• Irresistible (Everyone has to have it.)
• Dependable

Think of yourself as the brand manager of your company and the company is you. In 1997, Tom Peters coined the phrase “You’re the Brand”. If you can absorb this, you will stand out from the crowd.

It has been suggested in many body language books that the arms crossed around the chest indicates a close-minded person. In many cases, this may be true of a person who might be closed to a conversation s/he is currently in.

However, I believe some folks cross their arms because they may be cold, or they may be long in the torso so crossing their arms helps their back.

The main thing is, that if you like to cross your arms, I recommend you cross your arms gently and hold your body not too stiff and tight. This will enable you to cross your arms and still look approachable.

Jewelry choices for both men and women have changed dramatically since the year 2000. The different pieces (worn appropriately or inappropriately), send various messages.

Below are some suggested rules for wearing jewelry:

For men only:

• Watches: The styles have evolved from dress to casual to sporty. President Clinton made the sporty style watch appropriate to wear with a suit. The main idea is that your watch should not be the first thing that is noticed. The Rolex (the heavy gold watch is very popular) is still for those who want the world to know they have achieved business success.

• Rings: Less is always better than more. Wedding bands are personal and vary in all different styles. I do not recommend two rings on one hand.

• Bracelets: One is fine, two too many. The only exceptions are medical bracelets.

• Earrings: Best worn with casual wear unless you are in the arts and entertainment field.

• Necklaces: Wear chunky chains only if you are a rock star.

For women only:

• Watches: Smarter looking ones today have a larger face. The small or large tank style watches are always in style.

• Rings: Big stone rings can be distracting especially if they sparkle.

• Bracelets: Beads have become very popular for casual wear as long as they do not become distracting by making noise or by dangling.

• Earrings: The preference is one moderately styled earring in each ear. You don’t want your earrings to be the first thing that is noticed.

• Necklace: Pearls will always be traditional in style. The updated ones are large and differently shaped water pearls. Gold and silver chains have been in style these past two years. You can wear them layered on a simple top.

Jewelry is a great accessory. It adds interest, polish and elegance to any outfit you wear. When you follow the above guidelines, you will wear the jewelry; the jewelry will not wear you.

Vintage clothing is rising in popularity. So, many of us are wondering if that twenty plus item in the closet will still work. Or, what should we look for at the vintage store? Also, can vintage clothing be worn at the office?

Here are a few general vintage clothing guidelines:

• The fabric must feel soft
• It must be in good condition (no holes)
• It must fit – you can take it in but very rarely can you let it out
• It must work with other pieces of clothing in your wardrobe
• You must love it – don’t buy it just because it is the rage

Follow these few tips and you will look fashionable and not fashion-less!